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Retiree Medical Plan Options

The County of Sonoma recognizes that every employee and their family's needs are unique. The County offers EPO, PPO and HMO plans and an AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance plan to ensure your family has access to the services that best suit their needs.

EPO and PPO Plans - County Health Plan (CHP) EPO and PPO plans are self-insured plans administered by Anthem Blue Cross and CVS Caremark (pharmacy services). The EPO and PPO plans offer health coverage to residents nationwide. These plans allow you to visit in-network physicians, specialists, and medical laboratories of your choosing without the need for referral. While it is always financially beneficial to utilize in-network services, you may be able to utilize out-of-network services (depending on the plan you choose).

Effective June 1, 2024, Anthem Blue Cross now offers a Medicare Advantage PPO plan for Medicare participants. Medicare participants currently enrolled in a CHP plan will automatically be enroll in the Anthem Medicare Preferred (PPO) Medical and Prescription Drug plan. Non-Medicare participants will remain on the County Health Plan (CHP) EPO or PPO plan they are currently enrolled in.  If you prefer not to be enrolled in Anthem Medicare Preferred (PPO) Medical and Prescription Drug plan, you will need to elect another Medicare eligible plan through Kaiser Permanente, Western Health Advantage or UnitedHealthcare AARP.  

HMO Plans - The County offers HMO plans with Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health Plus and Western Health Advantage. You must live or work in the providers service area to be eligible for an HMO plan. HMO plans require a Primary Care Physicians referral for specialist and medical laboratory services. HMO plans generally offer a lower monthly premium than an EPO or PPO plan.

AARP® Medicare Supplement Insurance - AARP® Medicare supplemental insurance plans are also known as “Medigap” plans. Each plan offers a different level of benefits and monthly premiums vary accordingly. UnitedHealthcare (UHC) AARP is an individual plan, not a group plan, and is administered and managed by UnitedHealthcare. For information and premiums, or questions regarding your enrolled UHC plan, you must contact UHC directly. 

2024-2025 Retiree Monthly Medical Plan Premiums

Medical Plan Comparisons

EPO and PPO Plans


HMO plans


Retiree and All Dependents Enrolled in Non-Medicare

Retiree and All Dependents Enrolled in Medicare

Retiree and Dependents Enrolled in a Combination of Medicare and Non-Medicare

New to Retiree Benefits?

As a retiree, understanding the benefits available to you can be confusing. Where you live, your Medicare eligibility, and dependents you may be enrolling all determine what plans you are eligible for.  While we have done our best to provide you with as much information as we can on our website, we understand you may have additional questions as they pertain to your specific situation. Visit our New Retiree Resources page for more informaiton. 

To learn more about Medicare eligibility and coverage, visit www.ssn.gov/medicare.

CareCounsel, Patient Advocacy Group, is a great resource in helping determine which plans may be best for you. You can reach CareCounsel 8:30am – 5:00pm, Monday – Friday at (888) 227-3334 or visit www.carecounsel.com for more information.  

The HR Benefits Unit is available 8:00am – 5:00pm, Monday – Friday at (707) 565-2900 or by email at benefits@sonoma-county.org.  In most cases, we are able to respond within a few hours. However, we ask that you give us two business days to respond as we do experience increased inquiries at various times throughout the year.